


The Outlaw Princess

by Swan3ills



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Princess Emma Swan, Swan-Mills Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-01-20 16:51:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1517972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swan3ills/pseuds/Swan3ills
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*AU* Regina couldn't cast the curse her mentor procured for her, since she walked into a trap she wasn't expecting to fall prey of. A spell has captured her in a prison she can't escape from without magic, but fate shall bring a Savior her way to break the Evil Queen free from a curse placed upon her by her own mother. A road to freedom, love and redemption. *SwanQueen*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Heart of Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I claim no rights over the original characters and story that inspire me to write.  
> ONCE UPON A TIME Fanfiction Featuring SWANQUEEN in THE ENCHANTED FOREST  
> This story is a change to the Evil Queen's curse.

Once upon a time in a forlorn castle there lived a lonely princess who had been cursed by her own mother in her blinding hunger for power. The King from a neighboring realm had asked for the maiden's hand in marriage after his daughter had been rescued by her, but the brown-eyed girl rejected his proposal and the fortune he offered to her family.

Her mother, Cora, couldn't believe her child's behavior. Princess Regina hadn't given her a chance to speak after furiously throwing the wedding ring to the floor and making her feelings clear to the elderly man. Cora didn't even get a chance to use her magic upon her daughter to force her into submission and render her a puppet expected to perform the main role in her dream play.

The curse Cora cast on the young lady trapped Regina's heart inside a hard shell, allowing no love to enter in the coldness of a numb heart. Without the girl's ability to feel, True Love would never be able to free her from the incantation punishing her. "Love is weakness," her mother kept telling her… "Power is freedom". But even after being cursed, she refused to be wedded with the old king.

Years went by and the princess secretly learned to use magic in her own pursuit of power. A power she needed to get hold of in order to satisfy her hunger for revenge and to feel some kind of emotion, as love was something she could no longer remember. When Leopold and Cora killed the stable boy for being Regina's excuse, they eliminated any possibility of True Love for the maiden.

(Ten years later)

Regina's realm lived under the fear of even mentioning the Queen's name, as she had eyes and ears everywhere and speaking badly about her always called for a tongue or head; according to the level of offense. She had mastered the arts of black magic after years of lessons with no other than the Dark One. The same warlock who helped her get rid of her tyrant mother and rise to the throne in her grandfather's kingdom.

The Evil Queen had gone to war with Leopold's realm five years after starting with her magic lessons. She had built a strong army with the only purpose to conquer his prized lands, as part of her revenge agenda. Regina had gathered the best warriors with the use of her growing powers and the fear she inspired on her helpless subjects.

Regina burst into King Leopold's castle after her troops dominated his. She was aiming for her ultimate strike; beheading the King in the plaza to show his people who owned the throne now. The dark empress made thick wooden doors explode with a simple movement of her hand, clearing the entrance to the palace. There was no knight able to stop her and one by one they dropped lifeless on the ground.

It was when Regina reached to the King's chambers when she heard a woman crying. She opened the doors with a gust from her hand and walked toward the master's bed, where she found Snow White crying over her father's motionless chest.

"It's too late to come for revenge." The King's daughter murmured.  
"He's dead?" The annoyed woman asked.  
"Yes, his heart failed after knowing we lost the war." Snow answered.  
"Well, I didn't come here for nothing. I shall have my revenge!" The brown-eyed yelled.  
"Hasn't it been enough suffering?" Snow questioned her.  
"Not yet." Regina replied with a vicious smile in her lips.

Regina grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to her feet. She was about to rip out the princess' heart, as her hand dug deeper into the princess' chest, when special warmth invaded her body bringing back a faint memory of how love felt.

"What is this… feeling?" The Evil Queen mumbled.  
"You're hurting us, Regina!" Snow cried out.  
"Us?" The brown-eyed asked, eyeing the girl but her bump was so small it was hard to tell how long she was into her pregnancy.  
"Get away from my wife!" David yelled at the dark mistress.

The Prince burst into the chambers wielding his sword and pressed the blade hard against Regina's jugular, making a small cut from where a drop of blood trickled down her neck.

"You're not going to hurt her or our baby!" He threatened.  
"That's precisely what I have in mind." The brunette said before she vanished in a purple mist.

Six months passed quickly by and Snow was concerned for the safety of her child and the realm. Regina's threats were never empty, even if David kept insisting they were only words and they would be safe with the spell the Blue Fairy gave them in case Regina dared to come back to hunt them.

"The Evil Queen! She's here!" Grumpy screamed as he ran into the room.  
"The baby!" Snow whimpered.  
"She will be safe." The king assured her.

Regina broke into their chambers and, without knowing, walked right into a trap. Snow was holding the newborn in her arms, as David held a scroll in his hands. He started pronouncing the words written in the piece of paper and a pentagram began to glow under the Evil Queen, trapping her inside its magic shield and making her body slowly turn into stone.

"You are going to regret this!" Regina yelled at them as she struggled trying to escape.  
"No, you are!" David yelled.  
"You gave us no choice." Snow said with tears in her eyes.

The spell continued to work its way and in a matter of seconds the rest of Regina's body had transformed into stone, leaving nothing but a sculpture sitting in the middle of their nursery room. The baby was crying while her parents discussed the next move to take, until deciding they should lock the dark sorceress some place where magic couldn't reach her to break the incantation.

With the Evil Queen gone, the kingdom flourished under Snow White's leadership. Everyone lived in peace and harmony, as war had finally ended and Regina was no longer threatening with taking away their happy endings.

Princess Emma grew into a beautiful but reckless lady, who was always getting herself in trouble. The energetic princess loved to gallop on her steed from dawn to dusk exploring her kingdom's lands and venturing into dangerous quests. She always followed her father when there was a mystery needed to be solved and avoided her mother's etiquette lessons at all cost.

Emma learned about a mysterious cave where a magical statue was being kept, one of the many nights she sneaked out of the palace dressed up as a man to bypass her guards and hang out in the infamous Rabbit Hole tavern. It was a place where no lady would be allowed to enter, unless it was to serve beer and tolerate the filthy drunk male's groping.

The princess became a regular, even though it was not for the bitter dark beer she had grown to like, but because fearless men used to come from time to time and talk about adventures in foreign lands. She had been recruited by a bounty hunting team five years ago; the day she turned twenty-three and proved her archery and sword skills worthy of a spot in the merry men's team.

She joined Robin Hood's gang with her perfect disguise, consisting of some of her father's old shepherd clothes and even a beard she had perfected to complement her costume. She kept her hair just above her shoulder to make fighting more easy and her male look more convincing, so convincing that a few of the tavern girls had fallen head over heals in love with her or "Henry", as she liked to call herself.

The bounty they would go after this night was a sculpture the Queen and King kept hidden in a cave near the troll bridge. They wanted to get hold of the stone figure as a wealthy imp had offered them its weight in gold.

The princess had never heard from her parents about the statue before. Emma had only heard stories about an evil queen who had once tried to conquer their kingdom, but disappeared one day without anyone knowing what happened to her. She remembered the town people's rumors about the royal family using magic to get rid of the dark mistress and Emma was sure she wouldn't be missing this quest, no matter the outcome of her recklessness.

Emma had been expected for supper in the palace, as there was a prince waiting for an answer to his proposal for marriage. The youngest of King Ardan Jones was drinking from his canteen of rum, as he stood by the fireplace looking at the flames knowing it would be another visit without answer. Killian was annoyed but he still liked the untamable nature of the princess he wanted to wed.

"I suppose she isn't coming." The prince said.  
"Give her some time, she must be choosing the right dress." Snow White said.

Killian laughed at the idea, he had never seen Emma wear a dress in all the time he had known her and this occasion would be no exception. She was more like a stable boy than the princess her mother hoped to see one day walk down the stairs wearing her old wedding dress.

"Fine then." Killian told the White Queen.  
"She does like you, I know it." The Queen said to him.  
"She **likes** me… perhaps that's the issue." The blue-eyed muttered.  
"Your daughter knows I can handle a no, but if she must have it this way; I respect it." He finished before leaving the palace.

Snow was sad to see Killian go. She knew he loved her daughter truly, as he had shown to care for the girl ever since they met in their teen years while King David and King Ardan made deals to support each other's realms through commerce. Ardan's fortune thrived from shipping goods through the seas between the many kingdoms in the fairytale land. He was a visionary man with growing business relationships and an equally expanding wealth.

"Oh, Emma... Where have you gone to this time?" Snow mumbled wondering the answer.  
"I have bid them farewell. Ardan wasn't as chilled as Killian but we remain in good business terms." Her husband interrupted her thoughts.  
"I wonder how long it will be until our daughter returns this time." Snow said shaking her head.  
"She will be fine. She knows how to take care of herself. She kind of reminds me of someone." David said, raising a playful eyebrow toward her.

It was no news the princess had escaped from the uncomfortable reunion she was expected to attend. Every time there had been a prince, king or duke knocking at her door with a proposal for marriage, the adventurous princess managed to flee from the scene and stayed away for a day, week or lastly for months.


	2. The Evil Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I claim no rights over the original OUAT characters and story.  
> Emma has found a new quest to venture in but she is oblivious to the way things will unwind for her.

At the other side of the kingdom, Emma was following after Robin's lead to the troll bridge where they were going to find the cave containing the treasure they were anxious to get hold of. What they didn't know was this bounty would bring no good fortune their way.

After making deals with the vicious human-beast hybrids guarding the troll bridge, they managed to gather enough silver coins to pay one of the filthy monsters to guide them toward the alleged cave. It was well hidden in the thickest part of the forest, covered by overgrown shrubs and a heavy big rock closing the entrance.

"The tricky part will be removing that rock." Robin Hood said.  
"If people managed to put it there, it is possible to make it move away." Emma was optimistic.  
"It is going to take all the man and beast force we can get." Robin told them.

Their leader ordered to use rope to grab onto the edges of the stone and tie it to their horses. All men positioned at the opposite side to push the rock as their strong steeds pulled at it with all their strength. After minutes of trying, resting and going at it again, the rock finally moved to the side giving them entrance to the mysterious cave.

Robin was at the front followed by Emma; who had earned to be the second in charge with her fighting skills and special power that allowed her to know when someone was lying, or if some situation wasn't what it seemed to be. Just like what she was sensing at that moment; she had the uncanny feeling that they were walking into a deathly trap, but her hunger for action and desire for answers motivated her to continue moving inside the dark humid cell.

"Hold the torch for me, Henry." Robin Hood asked her.

The leader of the merry men walked closer to the statue resting in the center of the cave. He didn't notice the set of crystal stones spread over the floor in a pattern that formed a big star with inscriptions in an ancient language unknown to them. Emma was the only one who saw it and tried to warn her leader before he stepped over one of the stones, making it roll over the floor and distort the shape.

A crackling sound started to come from the statue and the crystals began to glow under the sculpture. Emma quickly moved into the figure and placed the magical crystal back on the spot it used to occupy before being thrown away. The crackle stopped and the figure on the floor shimmered weakly.

Everyone was astonished at what they had just witnessed and decided to discuss if it was worth taking the risk of awakening whatever power was being contained inside the human sized stone.

"We won't do it. We have no idea what this thing is." Robin told the merry men.  
"But the fortune that statue is worth could feed all our families for a year." One of the men spoke.  
"It might seem tempting but good things are never this easy." The wise leader said.

Everyone agreed to let the stone rest in peace and his merry men started to walk their way out. All except one; Emma, who waited for them to get farther ahead so she could have a closer look at the female figure waiting for the day light could shine upon her face again. Nobody noticed Henry hadn't come out with them and started to put the rock back in its place to close the entrance to that frightening cave.

Emma was too busy to notice, as she was looking at the woman immortalized in stone before her. She could feel in her gut that she knew that person but she couldn't remember ever seeing her face. Jade eyes looked into cold black and noticed unshed tears perfectly carved into the statue's eyes.

"No way this is just a rock." She said to herself.

The Savior in her made her feel responsible for the lady trapped in a horrible curse. Whoever had done that to the woman frozen in stone would have to answer to her, as this was not the right thing to do. Emma lifted up her hand and gently caressed the woman's cheek feeling empathy for her, and with the earnest touch from the Savior's hand, Regina's heart started to beat again inside her chest. 

The magic Emma possessed was unknown even to her, but it somehow awakened after making contact with the enchanted sculpture. The outlaw princess noticed a faint beating sound coming from the statue and moved her head to press her ear against the sculpture's chest, to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

"Holy shit! You're alive." Emma screamed.  
"I will get you out of here, I promise." She said to the statue.

The thief in disguise went over to remove every crystal glowing in the strange pentagram on the ground. She distorted the shape and saved the bigger crystals inside a bag she carried with her, just in case. And without the complete figure on the floor, the shield that had prevented magic from manifesting inside the Evil Queen's cell ceased to contain the spell.

Magic was all Regina needed to break out of her imprisonment and she had it right there with her. Emma's inner power was emanating from her and into the statue absorbing every bit of it, making the blonde feel suddenly weaker and dizzy. She fell on her knees as a loud crackling sound echoed in the cavern, making the merry men outside turn back their heads to look at the closed entrance to the cave.

"Is someone missing?" Robin asked his men.  
"I can't find Henry!" Another of the guys yelled.  
"Open it up! NOW!" Their leader ordered.

They tried with all their strength but they couldn't make the rock move again. Could the strength of only one man have made the difference before? Or was it something else that had helped them remove the rock earlier when they managed to get into the chilly cave? They asked themselves.

"You're not going to succeed. No matter how hard you try." The imp who had offered them gold for the statue appeared.  
"You… Was this part of your plan, imp?" Robin Hood questioned with disdain.  
"Rumplestiltskin is the name." The Dark One presented himself theatrically.  
"I don't care what your name is. I only care for my man who is trapped inside with only God knows what!" The courageous man yelled at him.  
"I would run while I still can, if I were you." The imp said in a playful manner.

The merry men were holding out their knives and bows but Rumplestiltskin turned their weapons into straw with a simple snapping of his fingers, and they all looked at their leader with fear. Robin Hood was perplexed and for the first time in his life he didn't know how to react, so he signaled his men to remain calm and move away from the cave. It was not cowardly to run for your life when black magic was involved and they really stood no chance against the Dark One.

"She's waking up!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed cheerfully.  
"Who is?" Robin Hood asked him with concern.  
"My little monster! The Evil Queen as you might know her." The imp answered with amusement, clapping his hands with excitement.

Everyone looked at each other knowing well who that person was, as many of them had lost family members during the war with the Dark Empress twenty-eight years ago.

Inside the cave, Regina's body changed back into her natural shape. Her limbs were hurting after many years of imprisonment but her mind was just as sharp as the day Snow White and Prince Charming dared to defy her with the incantation they cast upon her.

The brunette looked down at the handsome young man kneeling before her; she thought he was bowing in obedience to her, and smirked as she leaned down to pick his chin with her hand and place a deep kiss on his thin lips. Emma blinked her eyes in surprise, because this wasn't something she had been expecting and it was the first time she ever kissed another woman. 

Her mind was drifting, as she was still weak from the loss of magic she had suffered, but neither Regina nor the Emma knew it had been this thief’s sleeping power what had awakened the Evil Queen.

"Thank you for helping me, my pet." The Evil Queen whispered over Emma's flushed lips.  
"What's your name?" Regina asked the blonde.  
"It's Em… Henry." The blonde remembered she was dressed up in her thief disguise.  
"Really?" The brunette asked again.  
"Yes… Why?" Emma answered.  
"That's my father's name." She told the blonde.  


The brunette stretched her neck and walked toward the exit to the cave, she then turned around to look at the man standing on the same spot she left him.

"Aren't you coming, dear? Or do I need to put a leash around your fragile neck?" Regina said.  
"Huh… sure… Your Majesty." Emma answered and walked behind her, touching her lips with confusion and watched as Regina made the rock in front of her explode and clear the way out for them. 

At the other side of the cavern, Robin and his merry men were already mounting on their steeds to escape. The Evil Queen looked at them and moved her hand to summon a purple smoke that engulfed them and she laughed as they started to spin inside the magical twister. Emma couldn't believe what she was seeing and she didn't want to see her friends hurt by the woman she had just brought back to life. So she jumped in front of Regina and grabbed the brunette's hand with a strong grip, catching her by surprise and making her stop playing with the no longer merry group of men.

"You'll have to go through me first." The blonde threatened.  
"Since when do ducks aim at bows?" Regina mocked.  
"Don't ruin my humble present, my little apprentice!" Rumplestiltskin yelled at Regina with amusement.  
"Your present? This reckless thief?" Regina’s hand pointed at the blonde thief with disdain.  
"Well, that reckless thief just saved you. Did he not?" The Dark one said to her, marking the word as he knew Henry's true identity.  
"How long has it been?" Regina asked him.  
"Twenty-eight years, dearie." Rumplestiltskin replied.  
"And you come just now? What kind of friend are you?" The brunette questioned resentful.  
"I did bring you a present. That's what counts." The imp said with no remorse.

Regina rolled her eyes with disgust and beckoned Henry to come closer to her. Emma followed against her better judgment and Regina slapped her hard in the face. "That's for defying me." The brunette said before she grabbed Emma's face again and planted another sultry kiss to her lips. "And this is for having enough… guts to do so." She added.

Rumplestiltskin giggled, amused by what he was seeing. The brunette had no idea she was kissing her archenemies' daughter and this was too amusing for the evil imp.

"Well, I'll leave you and your pet now that you are free. You might want to visit some old friends next." He said before vanishing in a crimson mist.  
"I have a better idea." Regina murmured as her eyes traveled over her toy-boy's features and athletic physic.

A purple smoke swallowed both of them and, in a matter of seconds, Mistress and pet stood in the middle of Regina's bedchambers back in the dark castle.

"Place looks dusty." Henry nervously commented.  
"You're right about that." Regina said and snapped her fingers, making the place look shiny again.  
"Now, where were we?" The beautiful woman in black velvet asked her pet.  
"You said you had a better idea…" The blonde nervously mumbled.  
"That's right. Let's see if you have any useful skills, other than a sharp memory." Regina told her.  
"I'm good with swords and I can tell when people are lying." The nervous princess said.  
"Really? Let's see that. Ask me something." Regina was curious about him.  
"Are you going to kill me?" She asked ingenuously.  
"That depends on how resourceful you turn out to be." Regina answered.  
"You need to improve your questions, dear." The dark lady added.  
"Yeah… Have you ever been in Snow White's castle?" The blonde asked her.  
"Don't you EVER mention that name again in my presence!" The brunette yelled at her pet.  
"Have you?" Emma insisted.  
"You really lack the ability to fear. Why do you care if I have been there?" Regina asked back.  
"Because I feel like I know you from before, but I don't know how." The handsome man told her.

Regina looked closer at him; she looked deep into green eyes trying to see if she had indeed seen that face in the past, but this was the first time she saw Henry and he was too young to be an acquaintance from her youth. But even though she didn't recognize his features, she felt her heart pound against her ribcage. She felt the same warmth that invaded her when she had her hand inside Snow's chest. Is this love? She had a vague idea of how that felt.

"I shall have some rest now. Leave my chambers." The brunette ordered.  
"But you haven't answered my…" Henry complained.  
"Have I not made myself clear?" Regina interrupted.  
"Where should I go?" He asked.  
"Wherever. I don't care. Get out of my sight, peasant." Regina replied as she walked over to her bed.  
"Lady, you're crazy." Emma thought in a loud voice; a bad habit she had.  
"Excuse me?" Regina turned around incredulously of what she heard.  
"You bring me here and then you throw me out. Just make up your mind, woman." The ruthless blonde carelessly spoke.  
"I could cut your tongue or rip out your heart, you stupid fool!" The dark lady said, walking dangerously in direction of the blonde.  
"Try." Emma challenged.

Regina grinned with malice as she stretched her hand and pushed it into the reckless blonde's chest, but what happened next wasn't something she expected. Her hand failed to grab hold of the man's heart, as if there was nothing to rip out. It was even difficult to keep her hand still inside his chest and she was stunned.

"What are you?" Regina looked up from chest to the eyes of her earlier savior.  
"Human." Was Henry's only answer.

Regina was in shock as this had never happened before but it was even more confusing how the reckless blonde seemed to be oblivious of what was going on. He either had no idea of how things were supposed to work, or he had a card up his sleeve and Regina would for sure find out what it was.

The brunette slowly retrieved her hand looking at green eyes with mixed fear and awe. Emma felt the sudden urge to hold Regina close and she followed her instincts, grabbing the brunette by the waist and pulling the slender figure tight against her own. She looked into brown eyes with gentleness and leaned forward to trap the lady's crimson lips in a passionate kiss.

Regina was confused and had no idea how things were changing so fast and strangely for her. She was incapable of love; it was a weakness and her mother had even cursed her to harden her heart and prevent it from ever housing such a feeling inside. But the lips pressed against hers were magically shattering the shell enclosing her darkened heart. She could only think about Daniel, her True Love, whilst kissing this stranger's lips.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Regina said after breaking the kiss that was rapidly escalating into something more.  
"Claiming what is mine." The blonde answered.  
"Pardon?" The brunette blinked her eyes in bewilderment.  
"Regina, it's me. Daniel." The blonde whispered.  
"What? But you died! Wait, is this some kind of joke?" She questioned.  
"Who died? What joke?" The blonde shook her head and asked in confusion.  
"You… Daniel." Regina replied with confusion.

Regina was even more confused than her pet, as Henry had no idea what they were talking about now. It was as if another person had been talking to her just seconds ago. She pushed Henry away and ordered him to sleep over one of the couches facing the hearth. She went to her own bed and tried to fall asleep but, given the circumstances, she couldn't manage to stop her mind from going on about the possibility of Daniel's soul being reborn inside the unruly blonde. Maybe she was being given a second chance after all.


	3. The Dark Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The more time Emma spends with her Mistresss, the more she gets confused about her feelings. Just as Regina herself is finding it strange how much she feels attracted to this thief that rescued her from the cave.

_After hours of turning around in bed, the brunette finally surrendered to sleep and drifted into a dream. She was in her garden looking at the apple tree her father had given her years ago. The old man came to her side and placed a gentle kiss to her cheek. He did not speak but she knew he was saying good-bye to her, as he was no longer amongst the living._

_"I love you daddy."_  Regina whispered in her sleep as tears rolled down the sides of her face. Emma heard the murmur, as she was half asleep, and came slowly to the side of Regina's bed. She noticed the wet tears on the sleeping beauty and felt bad for her. The blonde wiped a tear with her thumb and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the corner of Regina's eye.

Emma didn't know why or how, but she was quickly starting to have strong feelings toward the Evil Queen she had heard of only in stories. Stories that spoke about a vicious sorceress who ripped out hearts and killed at sight, without ever regretting taking the lives of the poor souls that came across her path.

"How could you do such terrible things?" The blonde kept wondering inside her head. The way Regina looked sleeping wasn't the image of an evil witch looking for revenge. All she could see was a broken woman with a heavy sadness weighing on her soul and Emma wanted to be part of the solution. She believed in second chances and wasn't happy to know her parents had entrapped the dark lady with such a terrible incantation for twenty-eight years.

Regina woke up when the first rays of light filtered into her bedchambers and nearly jumped when she saw Henry sleeping by her feet. The blonde had been sitting on corner of her bed but fell asleep a few minutes before dawn. The brunette didn't know how to react to his intrusion but looking at the sleepy face filled her with a warmth she had missed for decades.

 _"Is the Queen's bed comfortable?"_  Regina raised her voice waking up Emma.  
 _"Huh? Hey… Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on your bed_!" The intruder apologized.  
 _"And what did you intend then?"_ The brunette asked in a sultry voice.  
 _"You were talking in your sleep and I came to watch over you."_  The pet answered.  
 _"Really? And what did you hear?"_  The Mistress asked.  
 _"You were talking to your father."_  The blonde answered.

Regina's eyes filled with sadness and she evaded the green gaze trying to meet brown. The Queen of nothing got up from her bed and walked to a room beside hers. She beckoned her pet to follow after her and pointed to a big tub in the middle.

 _"I want it steaming with pristine water."_  Regina ordered.  
 _"Can't you like summon it with your magic?"_  The unruly blonde replied.

Regina's jaw dropped in disbelief, she had never gotten that kind of reply from her subjects and this wasn't the first time the blonde shown her untamable nature to the brunette.

 _"Do I need to break you like wild horse?"_  The Queen asked "him."  
 _"You can try."_  Henry answered, winking at the brunette.

Regina laughed at her pet's reply. His ruthlessness while annoying was also amusing to her. She had always liked strong spirited men and this was by far the most adventurous lad she had ever encountered.

 _"A strong man like you would have no problem carrying the buckets of water needed to fill my tub."_ Regina raised her eyebrow at the blonde.  
 _"A powerful sorceress like you would have her bath ready in a blink of an eye, while it would take me an hour to fix your well needed bath."_ Her subject said.  
 _"Excuse me?"_  Regina blushed at the thought she maybe smelled bad.  
 _"You haven't had one in 28 years, so yeah."_  Henry answered bluntly.  _"It's not like you smell or anything! Is just that, I just figured… you know what I mean."_ The blonde tried to make it sound better but failed.

Regina pursed her lips at the blonde and snapped her fingers, making her bathtub steam with hot crystalline water. She turned her back to "Henry" and started removing her silk robe. As sleeves slipped down her shoulders, she turned her head to look at her pet over her shoulder and beckoned him to come closer.

 _"Pick it up."_  The brunette said as she dropped the grey silk on the floor. Emma was perplexed looking at the nude figure dipping into the hot tub. She had only seen half naked women in the Rabbit Hole when they flashed their customers for a pair of coins, but the vision of the regal lady with perfect skin and curvy body was something that made Emma's veins pulse under her skin. Her face was flushed and she avoided looking in direction of the woman taking a steamy bath.

 _"I wouldn't have taken you for the shy type."_  Regina spoke to him.  
 _"There is a lot you don't know about me."_ Henry told her while avoiding her gaze.  
 _"Perhaps I would like to."_  The regal lady whispered.

For someone with a heart of stone she was showing more emotion in the last few hours after breaking out of her imprisonment than she had ever shown in the decades prior to the enchantment that entrapped her. Cora's curse upon her daughter's heart still remained but the shell around her heart was quickly cracking with the rebel princess' mere presence.

Emma, being born out of True Love, emanated a special energy that made Regina feel secure with "him" by her side and it appeased her thirst for revenge. She hadn't noticed it was the magic coming from the blonde what had freed her from her stony cage. The only thing she would care to admit was that it amused her being constantly confronted by the unruly blonde that helped her get out of that wretched cave.

 _"Come here, you need not to fear."_  Regina called her pet.  
 _"Who said I was afraid?"_  The blonde said as he walked to the tub.

Emma leaned down as Regina beckoned with her finger and the brunette trapped her face in her hands and kissed the princess' lips. The Evil Queen tugged on Emma's vest and pulled her into the hot tub with her. The blonde whimpered as she dipped into the water. When Regina opened her eyes to see the messy blonde in the tub with her, she noticed something strange on Henry's face.

 _"What is this?"_  Regina raised her voice.  
 _"What is what?"_  Emma asked back.

Regina's fingers plucked at the fake beard that lost its grip on her face with the warm water that wet it. The Queen peeled it off her face and discovered what her pet's true identity was.

 _"You're a girl?"_  Regina said in shock.  
 _"Woman."_  Emma corrected her.

The brunette got out of her bath and wrapped herself with the silk robe laying on a chair. She was angry with the blonde for fooling her and even daring to claim she was "Daniel".

 _"I want you gone before I change my mind and take your worthless life with my own hands."_  Regina yelled.  
 _"You already tried but failed."_  The blonde yelled back at her as she got out of the tub as well.  
 _"If you don't leave I will destroy you, if it is the last thing I do."_  Regina threatened.  
 _"You won't."_  Emma muttered as she was standing very close to the brunette now.  
 _"What makes you so sure?"_  Regina asked with arrogance.  
 _"You wouldn't destroy your only chance at True Love."_  Emma said with conviction.  
 _"WHAT? My true love is dead and I suffered!"_  Regina yelled, trying to suppress the tears in her eyes.  
 _"But I'm not."_  Emma told her.

Emma took Regina's hand in hers and put it over her chest. The blonde told her she couldn't explain how but all she knew was that her feelings were true and she wanted to be given a chance to prove herself worthy of the Queen.

Regina was confused, her head was spinning and she had never considered the possibility of finding true love in another woman. The idea wasn't something unheard of in the realm but that kind of relationships were usually hidden from the public, as many of the residents in the fairyland were antiquated.

The brunette looked with hope into green eyes and sighed deeply, turning her gaze to the hand resting over Emma's heart and trying to free it from the blonde's firm grip.

 _"Regina, please."_  Emma whispered.  
 _"Leave me alone. Go back home."_ The brunette ordered.  
 _"But I don't want to."_  Emma answered.  
 _"I didn't ask you."_  Regina told her.

The dark sorceress waved her hand and a purple mist covered the blonde, transporting her back to her own kingdom. Emma looked around and recognized the buildings surrounding her, she was standing in the middle of the plaza and grumpy came running to her when he saw her appear after the scary smoke faded away.

 _"Are you okay?"_ The dwarf asked her.  
 _"I'm fine."_  She answered sharply.

Emma walked to the castle and entered her palace. Snow was watering some flowers in big pots by the foot of the stairs to the bedchambers when she saw Emma storming in and running furiously upstairs.

 _"That took less than I expected."_  Snow said to the maid helping her.  
 _"Please finish for me."_  She asked her servant.

The Queen walked up the stairs and went to her daughter's bedchamber. Snow knocked on the door but she received no answer from the princess, so she stepped inside and looked for the young woman to ask her what happened.

 _"Gosh, you are soaked!"_  Snow said.  
 _"Yeah, I took a bath."_  The princess answered.  
 _"You and your thief costume both."_  Her mother pointed out.  
 _"Happens."_  The blonde muttered as she looked for something dry.  
 _"Do you want to talk about it?"_  Snow asked her daughter.  
 _"I don't. But you will keep bringing it up, so let's get over with it now."_  Emma answered.  
 _"Why didn't you tell me about the statue hidden in a cave close to the troll bridge?"_  The blonde questioned her mother.  
 _"I was going to, when the time was right."_  Snow replied with surprise. She hadn't expected to have that conversation yet.

Snow White had thought it was best to leave some things buried in the past, and she had agreed with her husband that they would only reveal their secret to their daughter when they were elder and she was ready to rule the kingdom after them.

 _"How did you learn about it?"_  Snow asked the princess.  
 _"Hanging out with friends. That's how I know about the world outside these walls."_  The blonde told her mother.  
 _"Right. Your friends who steal from the crown."_  Snow bit back.  
 _"They wouldn't if wealth was better distributed."_  Emma muttered.  
 _"You think so? When the day comes you will rule the way you find best."_  Snow calmly told her daughter, even when she felt hurt by the complaint.  
 _"Sure I will. I wouldn't go around turning my enemies into statues."_  The blonde threw her poison at the Queen.  
 _"Emma! Don't you speak to me like that again."_  Snow raised her voice.  
 _"Or what? You will punish me like you did Regina?"_  Emma confronted her.  
 _"How do you know of this?"_  The brunette looked into her daughter's eyes with suspicion.  
 _"Because I saved her from your wicked jail!"_  The blonde yelled.  
 _"No… you didn't."_  Snow's eyes filled with fear.

Royal knights came running to talk to the queen bringing the awful news about the forbidden cave that had been emptied at night. They told the queen one of Robin Hood's men had confessed they were going to sell the statue to a wealthy imp who turned out to be Rumplestiltskin, but everything went wrong when one of their comrades stayed behind with the statue in the cavern.

Snow asked her subjects to prepare for war; they needed to be on guard in case Regina decided to attack. Emma was listening her mother speak while her father left with the knights to have everything ready for the upcoming battle.

 _"She is not going to hurt us."_  Emma muttered.  
 _"You don't know her."_  Snow reprimanded.  
 _"Maybe it's you who doesn't."_  The princess barked back.  
 _"And you do after spending a night with her?"_ Her mother said with revulsion.  
 _"I love her!"_  Emma yelled at her mother.  
 _"Stop this nonsense!"_  Snow covered her ears and walked her way out of the chambers.

The Queen went to her bedchambers and asked for her husband's presence. David didn't take too long to come to her side after a maid said his wife was crying and wanted to talk with him urgently. Snow White told the King about her talk with their daughter and how the princess claimed to be in love with the Evil Queen and Charming suggested it might be another of Regina's tricks. They were convinced she had cast a spell on their daughter to make her fall blindly in love with her, but it made no sense if what the dark mistress wanted was revenge she would have killed her enemies' only child on the spot.

Emma burst out of the palace in her royal knight armor. She took the best horse she possessed to venture into the woods looking for Regina's castle. The road to the dark castle wasn't easy to travel, as it housed endless traps that prevented anyone from coming near the Evil Queen's fortress.

Emma managed to escape most of them but she finally fell in one when she was getting closer to Regina's citadel. Her steed was injured after stepping on a fox trap that cut through flesh and caused it to fall on the ground missing his left hoof. Emma fell together with the mammal and rolled down the slope, getting caught between vines with poisonous thorns that moved with life twisting around her.

Regina was looking at the mirror when the inevitable happened. She was anxious waiting to see if Emma managed to escape from the deathly wreathe and prove herself worthy of the dark sorceress's affection. But minutes continued to pass and the blonde wasn't succeeding in her struggle with the tangled vines tightening around her.

Emma took a deep breath and looked up to the sky but there wasn't much light that could filter through the thick foliage of tall black trees. "Great, how are you going to escape this?" She asked herself. She was feeling dizzy with the effects of the poison in the thorns that scraped her face during the struggle.

The princess knight was falling unconscious when she had a blurry vision appear in front of her. It was a man with simple clothing that came to her side and whispered into her ear.

 _"Believe in your magic."_  The translucent figure said.  
 _"My magic? Who are you?"_  The blonde weakly asked.  
 _"Daniel."_  The spectral figure said before vanishing.

When everything seemed to be over and Regina was ready to come to Emma's rescue, a glow started to emanate from the girl tangled in vines. Her body floated in the air and a blue-white light burst from the woman's chest, pulverizing the deathly plant and setting her free.

Emma got on her feet and walked over to her prized steed. She intuitively hovered her hand over the injured leg and it was healed in a matter of seconds. She palmed the beast on its rear sending it back to her parents' castle.

Regina couldn't understand what she was seeing but she was relieved to see her knight in shiny armor come out victorious. Emma was the first person ever able to come this far through the Black Forest protecting her palace from intruders.

It wasn't long before Emma kicked the door open and came into the castle yelling Regina's name. She was walking up the stairs when a queer giggle distracted her.

 _"Your father's armor suits you well, princess!"_  The imp exclaimed cheerfully.  
 _"What do you want?"_  The blonde asked him.  
 _"I want to witness the final battle."_ He said laughing.  
 _"You planned all of this. Why?"_  Emma muttered.  
 _"I just enjoy a tragic love story. Don't you?"_  He replied with amusement.  
 _"Rumplestiltskin… What are you doing in my palace?"_  Regina appeared.  
 _"I dropped by to salute my little apprentice and the princess."_  He told her.  
 _"What princess?"_  Regina frowned and raised her voice.  
 _"Well, the one and only child of Snow White and prrrrince Charming."_  The imp revealed as he presented Emma theatrically.

A dark red mist engulfed the blonde and changed her armor into Snow's wedding gown and her hair grew longer and curled up to complement her princess look. Regina looked at the beautiful blonde carefully and finally noticed the strong resemblance she had with both of her parents. Emma had her mother's chin and eyes, but was blonde and stubborn like her father.

 _"No way…"_  Regina said in a whisper.  
 _"Isn't this a charming reunion!"_  The Dark One shouted.  
 _"How dare you trick me like that?"_  Regina said to Emma.  
 _"I'm not tricking you! I do love you!"_  Emma answered.  
 _"AH! True love's product has spoken."_  The imp declared between giggles.  
 _"Shut up, imp."_  Regina looked at her Master with disdain.  
 _"Ouch! You hurt my feelings, little monster!"_  Rumple cried out sarcastically.  
 _"Leave my home!"_  Regina ordered him as she threw a ball of fire his way.  
 _"Really dearie? Who taught you those manners? Oops! It was me."_  He playfully said whilst catching the ball in his hand and making it turn to smoke.  
 _"Don't forget my graduation lesson. How to rip out a heart."_  The imp told her last before he vanished in a blood-tinted smoke. The Dark One didn't know she had tried before without success.

Regina couldn't stand the sight of Snow White's wedding dress and waved her hand to turn Emma back into her knight armor. The brunette sighed and looked at the princess without saying anything.

 _"My name is Emma, by the way."_  The blonde told her.  
 _"And you're telling me this now because…?"_ Regina asked.  
 _"Because you wanted to get to know me and here I am."_ Emma reached out to take her hands.  
 _"Stop that! You will fool me no more."_  Regina retrieved them.  
 _"Haven't I proven to you I'm worthy of a second chance?"_  Emma muttered.  
 _"You did… but your parents are my enemies and so you will be."_ Regina answered.  
 _"Regina, please. Can't you forgive them and be happy with me?"_  Emma pleaded.

The brunette started to think about the possibility of allowing herself to feel something again and with the shield already shattering around her heart she thought it might even pay both ways. If she were to become Snow's daughter's Mistress, that would be the worst thing that could ever happen to the Queen of the Enchanted Forest. But more than revenge, she just wanted to feel loved again.

 _"I never had a second chance."_  The brunette murmured.  
 _"See? This is ours, Regina!"_  Emma was positive.  
 _"I hope you're right."_  Regina said as tears dropped down her cheeks.

Emma smiled warmly and pulled Regina closer to her, she wrapped her arms around the beautiful brunette and slowly leaned for a kiss that Regina was eager to receive. They kissed innocently and with the power of the Savior, the last crack on Regina's heart broke the curse Cora had put on her daughter.

Regina was glowing in a golden light as the incantation abandoned her hardened heart. She looked at Emma in surprise and felt a torrent of emotion rush inside her no longer empty heart. It was love, True Love, what she felt for the woman standing close to her. Regina remembered it now and was thankful for allowing the blonde to convince her into giving up her old hatred.

Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin was in his own castle looking at the image reflected in his visions. He was furious breaking everything he had on sight. His plan had failed and he would need to find another puppet to manipulate into casting the curse for him.


	4. A Fairy's Curse

Rumplestiltskin had first failed when Snow and David trapped the Evil Queen in the form of a statue for twenty-eight years. His visions hadn't prevented him for that. He had the pieces to the puzzle but he didn't place them in the correct order.

Regina's father had died during the time the Evil Queen had been trapped and he was the only person left in the fairy world that the dark sorceress loved, as her mother had been banished to Wonderland through Rumplestiltskin's magical mirror. Without the heart of the person she loved most, Regina wouldn't be able to cast her mentor's curse.

Cora had denied the Dark One to bear his child and his revenge was to use her own daughter to send her into another dimension. Without Cora, Rumplestiltskin could finally have the perfect puppet to cast the curse that would bring him to the land where his son had escaped to with the help of the Blue Fairy.

His plan had almost been perfect. Getting the child of Snow White to free Regina from the cave, to make her grow feelings for her and later disappoint her with her true identity. That would have gotten the Evil Queen motivated to rip out her heart and casting the curse the Dark One procured for her revenge, but the Blue Fairy outwitted him when she created the stone spell for the royal family.

_"Who would have thought Snow's child would be the Evil Queen's True Love!"_ He kept screaming while destroying his palace.  _"Do you think you can defeat me?"_  The Dark One yelled at the stars in the sky from his broken window.  _"I swear I will kill the blue wench!"_  Rumplestiltskin screamed furiously.

His mistake was he didn't consider the possibility of True Love being able to break Cora's curse on his apprentice. To think Regina's heart could still be saved wasn't something that crossed his mind and now he was back to the starting point. He had to look for a new apprentice or manage somehow to get Regina into casting his curse, because he couldn't rip out the heart of the thing he loved most.

The Dark One was pacing back and forth on the same line in a hallway when Belle finally dared to come to his side. She had been observing him as he destroyed the place she worked hard to keep spotless, but she didn't mind the mess. All the auburn haired beauty wanted was to reach out to him and help him calm down for a moment. She knew he wanted to find his son but the end didn't justify the means. They would find another way, she was sure.

_"Rumple, we will find another way."_  Belle told him as she placed a hand on his shoulder.  
 _"How exactly? Let me guess… You think we will find it in your foolish books."_ The imp laughed at her.

The innocent lady felt her heart broken by the hurtful comment her Master threw at her. She was someone who could only manage enough sarcasm but this was getting to the point where even she had to draw a line with the Dark One.

_"You won't flush your anger on me again, Rumple."_ The blue-eyed said between sobs.  
 _"I told you you were free to go months ago."_  He answered with no remorse.  
 _"If this is what you really want, then I will!"_  The woman in yellow dress walked away.  
 _"Fine!"_  The imp yelled behind her.  
 _"You will always be lonely because you're a coward who won't face life without magic!"_ Belled turned back and yelled.  
 _"Don't forget to close the door on your way out, dearie!"_  Rumplestiltskin yelled back.

The beauty pouted angrily and left the beast she had for Master alone in his ruined palace.

Belle moved through the forest without fear, as she knew the lands like the palm of her hand. She decided to rest by the side of the river, as she was feeling dizzy and needed to recover. She was splashing some water to her face when the Blue Fairy came flying her way.

_"I'm glad you're finally free from that monster."_  Blue told her.  
 _"He is not a monster. He is just… misguided."_ Belle protested.  
 _"Do you still see good in him?"_  The fairy asked bewildered.  
 _"I… I do."_  Belle hesitated.  
 _"I believe in you, Yellow."_  The Blue Fairy said.  
 _"And I believe in him."_  The auburn haired replied.

The Blue Fairy nodded with disappointment and started to fly up into the sky again, leaving the lady in yellow dress pensively looking at her image reflected on the water. The full moon was shining brightly upon her and she looked up to see the mystical glow with watery eyes.

Belle shook her shoulders and translucent wings slowly emerged from behind her. It had been decades since she last summoned her wings to fly like the fairy she had been born as. Her glowing wings began to flutter and her body started to levitate with difficulty, as her magical limbs hadn't been used in a long time.

* * *

(Flashback)

The Yellow Fairy had been Rumplestiltskin's father's godmother but she was never able to satisfy his greed. She had given him advice and knowledge to be a good workingman but he wanted the easy way out of his problems. Belle didn't believe in granting wishes born out of greed, so she had never supplied the man with the riches he demanded. Magic should only be used as the last resort, she kept telling him.

Blue warned Yellow about Malcolm but Belle had the naïve idea that everyone could still hold a spark of light inside their hearts, no matter the darkness surrounding them. She believed everyone could be saved and so she pleaded to the Blue Fairy for a test to prove the thief worthy of a second chance. The Blue fairy provided her with a magical bean that Belle would give to the spinsters taking care of young Rumplestiltskin while his father was gambling in the streets. The test would reveal the true nature of the self-centered man and prove if he was worthy of keeping his fairy godmother but Malcom failed to pass the test, as he chose Neverland for his new domain and traded youth on exchange of his own son.

The heavy weight of leaving Rumplestiltskin fatherless weighed on the Yellow Fairy's conscience. She vowed to herself she would make sure she brought a happy ending his way but the unraveling of events lead Rumple astray, until he became the Dark One. She felt responsible for his choices in life and that was why she pleaded to the Blue fairy about living as a human until she could undo Rumplestiltskin's curse.

In the Kingdom where Rumplestiltskin met Belle, the fairies had made an agreement with King Maurice to play along with the plan they had designed to undo the Dark One. The Yellow Fairy would pose as the King's daughter and leave with Rumplestiltskin as the price to pay for winning the war through black magic. They had nothing to loose and all to win, so they accepted and hid their princess to use the fae as the trophy to trade.

* * *

 

(Present Time)

Belle was enjoying her first flight after decades. She was looking at the forest from above when Nova came to join her in her flight.

_"How does it feel?"_ Nova asked her  
 _"Wonderful!"_  Yellow answered.  
 _"I know, right!"_  The pink fairy said.  
 _"Are you coming back with us?"_  Nova asked with excitement.  
 _"I'm not sure…"_  Yellow hesitated.  
 _"You already left Rumple's fortress… Why not come home?"_  Nova asked with hope.  
 _"I haven't finished my task."_  Belle answered with concern.  
 _"Do you love him?"_  The lively fairy asked with curiosity.  
 _"I do."_  Belle answered.  
 _"Time heals all wounds, trust me, I know."_  Nova told her with empathy.

The pink fairy remembered her love for Dreamy but she had been forbidden from staying in the realm with the dwarf, as she had a bright future ahead of her in the fairy realm. She missed her first love but she had matured and could see now that work as a fairy was a selfless act of love and it was worth sacrificing her own happy ending if it brought hundreds for the generations to come.

 

At the Dark Castle, Emma and Regina were sitting by the hearth talking about how they would face the Savior's parents to tell them about their new relationship. Regina wasn't fond of the idea of having Snow and Charming as her parents in law, but if that was the price to pay in order to have Emma by her side she was willing to endure such a curse.

They had gone through a bottle of apple cider when Emma gathered the courage to bring up a topic Regina was very sensitive talking about.

_"Who is Daniel?"_ Emma asked her.  
 _"You should know better than me since you claimed to be him, dear."_  Regina replied.  
 _"When did I do that?"_  Emma asked with confusion.  
 _"That time when you kissed me after I failed to rip out your heart."_ The brunette frowned.  
 _"I don't remember doing that."_  Emma mumbled.  
 _"Just leave it in the past."_ Regina told her.  
 _"I saw him."_  The blonde shared.  
 _"Where?"_  Regina asked with anxiety.  
 _"In the forest, before I broke free of your poisonous vines."_ Emma said raising an eyebrow.  
 _"That's not possible."_ Regina was puzzled.  
 _"He came to me and told me to believe in my magic."_  The Savior told her.  
 _"Emma, he's dead and I have his body in a crystal coffin."_  Regina revealed to her.  
 _"What? Why would you?"_ Emma was perplexed.  
 _"He was my True Love and my mother and your grandfather murdered him."_ Regina said as tears quickly gathered in her eyes with rage.  
 _"WHAT? But… it doesn't make sense."_ Emma's brow furrowed at the knowledge.  
 _"My mother wanted me to be Queen and Leopold was obsessed with me but I refused, so they punished me by destroying the only chance I had at True Love."_ The brunette said with silent weeping.

Regina was shedding the tears she had kept prisoner inside her soul for countless years. A heart of stone had never been able to feel the loss the way she was meant to. She mentally suffered but there was no ache in her heart, only the idea of how it used to feel. All that time, the only emotion she could embrace was rage. That had been her curse for showing weakness to her mother.

_"So that's why you wanted to take away our happy endings."_ Emma mumbled.  
 _"Anger was all I had! Love is weakness."_  Regina muttered.  
 _"No. It is strength."_  Emma corrected her.  _"You can't continue believing what your mother told you."_  The blonde continued.  
 _"I know."_  The brunette nodded in agreement.

They were silent for a minute and it was making both of them uneasy, so Emma decided to pick up with the previous subject.

_"Can you show me where you keep him?"_  Emma asked her.

Regina looked at Emma and then sighed deeply. She left her glass of cider over the table and asked the blonde to follow after her. They walked into the black forest and Regina summoned a secret road of stones that emerged from the earth.

_"Don't step outside these stones."_  Regina ordered.  
 _"Okay."_  Emma nodded understanding dangerous traps could kill her if she did.

They followed the stone path that lead them to a mausoleum deep inside the dangerous forest that protected Regina's fortress. The Evil Queen took out her skeleton keys to open the gate and then moved her father's grave to reveal a secret vault.

They descended through the stairs and Regina guided the way toward the room housing Daniel's enchanted tomb. Emma was perplexed looking at the man who seemed to be sleeping inside a crystal box that kept him from deteriorating.

_"This is the man I saw."_ Emma murmured.  
 _"Are you sure?"_ Regina questioned.  
 _"I swear!"_  The blonde insisted.

Emma walked closer to the grave and looked carefully at Daniel. She recalled seeing him in dreams during her childhood but she never paid mind to them, as they were only that. She remembered one in particular though, one she shared with her mother and made the Queen frown in discomfort and send her back to bed without a kiss to her forehead.

_Emma was inside a stable she had never been before and saw a young lady run to her and begged her to elope. They were kissing when a little girl interrupted them saying she would tell her father._

Emma told her mother she was a tall man in her dream and he loved the brunette he was promising to marry. The princess must have not been over nine years old when she talked about her dream with her mother.

_"I used to see him in my dreams."_  Emma shared with Regina.  
 _"But it was as if I was inside his body, seeing through his eyes."_  She continued.  
 _"I don't know what to tell you, Emma."_  Regina responded.  
 _"I think it was you the maiden I kept seeing with him."_ The blonde told her.  
 _"You dreamed about me too?"_  Regina was surprised.  
 _"I think so. I remember I gave her a ring. It was a recurring dream."_  Emma said remembering the piece of jewelry.  
 _"How is this possible?"_  Regina gaped.

The brunette summoned a jewelry box with her magic. She opened it in front of Emma and asked her to choose which was the ring she had seen in her dreams. The blonde blinked at the test she was being put under and then focused her eyes over the assortment of rings inside the box. She looked carefully and then picked up the one she was familiar with.

_"This is it!"_  Emma said with a bright smile.

Regina looked at her with surprise and tears formed in her eyes, seeing the ring Daniel had given her being held up by the curly haired blonde.

_"I never thought souls could reincarnate and keep their memories of a past life fresh."_  Regina said to her loved one.  
 _"Look, I don't know if I am him but I know what I feel for you is real."_  Emma told her. _"And I don't want you to be with me only because I could be Daniel."_ She added.  
 _"This is too much for me to handle right now, Emma."_  Regina admitted.  
 _"What do you mean to tell me?"_  Emma worried with Regina's voice tone.  
 _"I need time."_  The brunette answered.  
 _"NO!"_  Emma protested.

Regina frowned as she pressed the ring against her lips. She was confused by all the information she had just received and didn't know how to react after the possibility or fact that Emma could be housing Daniel's soul.

_"I'm still your True Love, Regina!"_  Emma raised her voice.  _"Whether I'm Daniel or just Emma."_  She added.  
 _"Emma… I… I'm not sure if us is right."_ Regina said as she looked away to hide her tears, afraid she could loose her True Love again.  
 _"Love is always right."_ Emma said in a painful whisper.  
 _"It's easy for you to say that! You are True Love's product."_ The brunette turned around to complain.

Emma sighed deeply and decided to refrain from continuing the discussion. It wasn't even a day into their romance and they were already having their first argument. What kind of relationship was going to wait ahead of them if all they did was fight to see who was right; she kept wondering. Maybe Regina was right and it wasn't meant to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I totally forgot about this pending story. I had it completed in fanfiction net and didn't put the rest here.

A couple of minutes passed after the brunette ranted about Emma's origin. Silence had settled in the vault and both women continued avoiding each other's eyes, until Regina's voice broke the silence.  _"Emma, I'm sorry. I don't know how to love very well."_ She said with some difficulty, unused about apologizing to anyone.

The Savior felt relieved to hear her say that and walked closer to the brunette to embrace her. They shared a soft kiss and when Emma opened her eyes, she saw Regina had transported them back to her bedchambers. The blonde smiled playfully at her beloved and rolled a finger over the brunette's black diamond necklace.

 _"So…?"_ Emma mumbled.  _So what?"_ Regina raised an eyebrow, as she didn't particularly enjoy riddles.  _"Will the Mistress play with her pet?"_ Emma grinned mischievously remembering her previously given title. 

 _"Oh, you are way more than a pet to me, Emma."_ Regina frowned in disgust.  _"Can't you ever play along, Regina? Jeez… Relax."_  Emma whined. " _Of course I can play, but I'm not sure you can handle me, dear."_ The brunette teased.  _"Try me. I always pass your tests, anyway."_  The blonde proudly pointed out.  _"Amateur's luck."_ Regina laughed. " _I'll show you just how amateur I am!"_  Emma threatened seductively.

Regina was amused as the blonde kept chasing her around the room but whenever Emma thought she had her in her grasp, the brunette vanished in a purple mist and appeared behind the blonde, or at the other side of the room with mischief in her eyes.  _"Unfair! You're playing dirty!"_ Emma complained.  _"I'm pretty sure that's the way you like it."_  Regina answered with a wink. 

 _"Is that how we're gonna roll? Ok, I can keep up."_ Emma pretended to be offended. She went to grab a bag she had carried along with her on the journey to the Dark Palace; retrieved something from its inside's and continued to chase after Regina, who was curious about what her lover might have in mind and Emma finally caught the cheating brunette.

She threw her in bed and quickly held out one of the glowing crystals she found in the cave with her. The brunette was unable to summon her magic to vanish from the blonde's trap and then noticed her Savior placing an array of glowing stones in a circle around her bed.

 _"If this is your idea of fun, let me tell you I'm not amused."_  Regina angrily said.  _"Well, you were right. I like to play dirty."_  Emma mischievously replied.  _"Really now?"_  Regina was partially annoyed and amused. Emma then hopped onto bed and pinned her down. She straddled the brunette and leaned down to whisper into her ear.  _"I knew these would come in handy."_  She said sensually.

Regina was trapped without her magic again and, while she hated those rocks for imprisoning her before, this time it was under different circumstances and she might even enjoy it. And she felt her temperature rise when Emma's soft lips brushed lightly over her sensitive neck. _"I guess I'm now learning just how resourceful you are."_  Regina said to her.  _"I haven't even begun yet."_  The blonde's words slipped out in a purr.  _"Hmm…"_ Regina moaned in anticipation.

They were lost in each other's teasing and didn't notice the moment the King came through the door to the royal bedchambers. _"Emma! What are you doing?"_  Her  yelled at her and they were startled for a moment. Emma rolled off Regina and tried to fix her hair as she walked to meet her father by the entrance to the chambers.

 _"How did you get here?"_  The princess asked bewildered.  _"I followed after the steed that came back without its rider."_ He answered sharply.  _"But… it's dangerous out there."_  Emma was surprised to see her father managed to avoid Regina's traps.  _"It is not impossible."_  He muttered.

It wasn't surprising that father and daughter were able to come through the Black Forest alive. They were the best warriors in their land and if they could slay dragons they could certainly survive Regina's tests to tell the tale.

 _"Sorry to interrupt your *charming* reunion but could you free me now, Emma?"_  The brunette yelled from her bed.  _"AH! Sorry, I almost forgot."_  Emma jumped to Regina's side and picked the crystals to set them aside.  _"Thank you."_  Regina said through tight lips.

 _"Emma, this is not how we raised you."_  David reprimanded unable to hide his blushing.  _"Seriously? I'm twenty-eight, father."_  Emma muttered.  _"Look, I was concerned about your safety and that's why I came here."_  David spoke.  _"You can see I'm fine. Why don't you tell my mom and stop this nonsense."_  The blonde was annoyed by the mere suggestion Regina would be capable of hurting her.

David looked at his daughter and then to Regina. He knew Emma was in no danger with her and sighed with relief, as he could feel something had slightly changed in the brunette, or at least he hoped so. 

 _"I think you can see I wouldn't hurt Emma."_  Regina decided to speak. _"But you, in the other hand, I would enjoy tearing apart after what you did to me."_ The brunette's voice was threatening. She stretched her fingers and grinned maliciously at the King as she summoned the thorn vines that had entrapped Emma in the forest. She was tightening them around him when Emma yelled at her.

 _"Hey! What are you doing?"_  Emma frowned at Regina.  _"Enjoying my revenge now that I can."_  She answered.  _"Emma, are you sure you want to stay with this monster?"_  David yelled.  _"Both of you STOP!"_ Emma raised her voice.

A dangerous wind burst inside the chambers, windows shattered as everything twisted around them. It was Emma's magic manifesting through rage. Regina and David looked with shock at the princess as she pulverized the vines around his father with only looking at them. Emma turned to face Regina and extended out her arm, she opened her hand to summon the same vines that captured her father before, but this time around her lover's body.

 _"You will never EVER do that again or I will destroy you, if it takes my happy ending by doing so."_  Emma told her.

Regina was astonished, as the Savior's power was bigger than she had imagined. The brunette tried to free herself from the blonde's magical entrapment but she couldn't and she felt fear for the second time with her lover. Not only could her heart not be ripped out, but she also had powers beyond measure or control.

 _"Emma!"_  His father yelled at her this time as he put his hand over her shoulder. _"This isn't like you."_ He said while shaking her out of trance.

Emma's eyes blinked and she saw how her hand was guiding the vines into tightening around Regina floating in the air. She snapped out of her episode and run to catch the brunette in her arms.  _"Oh my God, I'm sorry!"_ Emma cried as she hugged Regina tightly.

 _"I'm not."_  Regina muttered as she pushed the blonde away from her.  _"I wasn't going to kill him, just so you know."_  Regina said with anger.  _"It sure was convincing, Regina."_  Emma responded.  _"It was just a warning."_  The brunette mumbled.

 _"Emma, will you stay or come back home with me?"_  Her father interrupted.  _"She goes home."_  Regina answered for her.  _"Hey! You can't choose for me."_ Emma complained feeling hurt.  _"You did when you decided to attack me."_ Regina was furious.  _"Please forgive me, Regina. I don't know what got me!"_  The blonde cried out.  _"Off you go, both."_  Were the last words Emma heard from her True Love.

Regina's signature smoke swallowed father and daughter transporting them back to their own castle.

 _"Shit! I really hate this trick."_  Emma whined.  _"Emma!"_ Snow White screamed as she ran to her side.  _"I'm so happy you chose us over that witch!"_  Her mother said with joy.  _"That witch, as you call her, is who sent me back against my will. Now please excuse me."_ The blonde said with hostility.

 _"Where are you going?"_  Her mother screamed watching the blonde storm out again.  _"Back!"_  The blonde yelled slamming the door behind her.

 _"She just won't give up."_  Snow said to her husband with disappointment.  _"She will always find her."_  David told his wife.  _"Hey, that's our motto!"_  Snow complained. 

 _"True Love seems to be our curse, Snow."_  David smiled and planted a kiss on his wife's forehead.

Snow looked into her husband's eyes and nodded in agreement. The idea of the Evil Queen being their only daughter's True Love was a bitter drink to swallow. "How could this have happened?" She kept wondering inside her head.

* * *

Regina was back in her secret vault, looking inside a treasure chest that held different types of containers with ingredients for her dark sorcery. She closed the box and walked over to a niche where a small box rested in the middle of the sacred place. The sorceress retrieved a scroll from inside a tiny box and gave it a thoughtful look, reading the list of ingredients needed to cast such a curse.

She had everything needed except for one ingredient; the heart of the thing she loved most. Her brow furrowed while thinking about it, troubled by having to rip out Emma's heart.

 _"I can't do it."_  Regina mumbled.  _"Of course you can, dearie!"_  A voice came from behind her.

 _"Rumplestiltskin. You come uninvited, as always."_  The brunette turned around.  _"You have dark circles under your eyes, dearie."_  The Dark One pointed at her. _"Look what True Love is doing to you."_ Her mentor commented with sarcasm.  _"What do you want?"_ Regina raised her voice with anger.

 _"I'm just checking on my little apprentice, can I not?"_  He replied with innocence.  _"I can't rip out Emma's heart."_ Regina said to him.  _"Don't let her false love confuse you, dearie."_ Rumplestiltskin told her. _"No. I mean; I CAN'T rip out her heart. Why?"_ She asked her mentor.  _"Well, that's interesting. Are you sure you did it correctly?"_ The imp asked.  _"Of course I did, but I couldn't grab hold of it and was difficult to keep my hand inside her chest."_  The brunette explained.

The Dark One kept walking around the room thinking about what could possibly be wrong. He had some ideas but finally the answer struck him like a thunder.

 _"The blue wench!"_ Rumplestiltskin was furious again.  _"You mean the Blue Fairy?"_ Regina came closer to him.  _"Of course! That bitch can't keep her wand out of my business."_  The Dark One said in a bark.

 _"Your business? I thought this was MY business."_ Regina focused on the imp.  _"Regina, you're my brightest apprentice! I only want you to succeed in your revenge."_ The Dark One quickly answered.  _"Is that so?"_ Regina wasn't convinced.  _"Of course it is! Why else would I have come back to free you from your stony cage?"_  He assured her.  _"Fine."_ Regina muttered.

After having her encounter with Emma, anger was getting the best of Regina. Years of rage and darkening her heart had taken its toll and old habits were hard to break for the brunette. It seemed as though not even True Love could save her in the end.

They went on with theories of how they should proceed with the next step. Ripping out Emma's heart was impossible for the brunette, but every spell had an undoing; the mentor assured his apprentice. The tricky part was to find Emma's.

One of the mirrors hanging in the walls started to glow and the genie trapped inside warned Regina about a guest in her palace. The image of Emma running around the hallways yelling Regina's name was displayed and both mentor and apprentice looked at each other without needing to voice their deal. The Dark One vanished and returned to his castle, just as Regina appeared in her own to meet the stubborn princess.

 _"I believe you were banned from my fortress."_  Regina yelled from behind her.  _"We need to talk."_ Emma said to her.  _"I'm all ears, princess."_  The brunette replied while looking at her manicure uninterested in the blonde.

 _"Look, I'm sorry about earlier."_ The blonde said remorseful.  _"I've heard that before. Tell me something I don't already know."_ Regina said with disdain.  _"Regina, please. Give me another chance?"_  Emma begged.  _"You just won't give up, will you?"_  The brunette half-heartedly laughed.

 _"Never. I will always find you."_  Emma honestly assured her.  _"Right. That thing that runs in the Charmings linage."_ Regina felt disgusted.  _"I love you, Regina."_ Emma cried out.  _"Lies! You just want to use me and save your family from their oncoming punishment."_  The brunette yelled.

Emma rolled her eyes and sighed. It would be one of those discussions she had always tried to evade in her life. She usually managed to escape whenever a man came with a love confession, but a few times she had to break their hearts directly and hated their begging for a second chance. She always found them "not good enough" for her and being the one getting rejected this time was giving her a new perspective. "Payback is a bitch." She thought to herself.

Regina was a piece of work; she had a keen mind and a sharp tongue to complement it. She always knew the right words to say in order to cause more damage than any weapon that cut through flesh. Emma didn't really want to face her but the strong feelings she had for the brunette obligated her to endure whatever Regina might throw her way and she needed to come up with the right offer.

 _"Is there any way I can prove my love to you?"_  Emma said softly.

Regina raised an eyebrow and twitched her lips. Her brain was quickly gearing the answer to go with her plan and the blonde had put herself right in the spot were mentor and apprentice wanted her.

 _"Give me your heart."_ Regina said and flashed a devilish smile.  _"What?"_  Emma shook her head in confusion.  _"Do you trust me?"_  Regina questioned.  _"I guess… I do."_  Emma answered nervously.  _"Emma, there can't be love without trust."_  Regina said with a soft voice, placing a hand delicately over her arm.

The Evil Queen came closer to her princess pet, she caressed Emma's cheek with the back of her hand and looked deep into green eyes. Regina was a mistress of manipulation, just like her mother, and performed her saddest gaze upon the blonde falling victim of her game.

 _"I don't know how to do that."_ Emma answered with honesty.  _"It's fine, Emma. I believe you and I'm sorry for testing you."_  Regina whispered with a sad voice.  _"I will do it. I want to prove it to you."_  Emma insisted.  _"You don't have to. I already said…"_ Regina was talking when Emma interrupted.  _"I'm doing it! I want you never to doubt me again."_ Emma firmly said.

Regina applauded herself mentally, proud of the manipulation skills she learned from Cora; she let tears stream down her face adding the final touch to her performance. Emma couldn't stand seeing her love cry and didn't hesitate to hug her; she kissed crimson lips with despair and didn't let go for a long moment. Regina felt conflicted, she had mixed feelings of pride in her success but she also felt guilty for playing with the other girl's feelings. She had no doubt now that Emma did indeed love her and she was troubled once again about casting the curse her mentor provided for her vengeance.

The Evil Queen once again felt her walls break in the entrapment of her Savior's embrace. She remembered Cora's words: "Love is weakness", as the princess continued to kiss her but she didn't really want to fight against what she was feeling that moment. Giving into Emma's pure display of love filled her with emotions she had been deprived of, so she told herself she would let her enemy win this battle but not the war. It would be just this time. "Just this once." She repeated inside her mind.

Regina's lips were parted by her lover's curious tongue. What had started like and innocent kiss was slowly escalating into a more vibrant display of passion. Emma's smooth thieving techniques were proving their expertise, as she had managed to ease Regina's sleeves down her shoulders to roll her lips over olive skin without the brunette's notice. It was the wet sensation of Emma's tongue over her collarbone what made her aware and blush for a first time in decades.

Daniel was no longer the first thought in her mind when she felt the heat of love rise in her body; it was blonde curls and green eyes all she could think and yearn for this moment. Regina succumbed in Emma's strong arms and let herself be carried to bed by the person that seemed to have always been meant to be her life partner.


	6. Chapter 6

The night was quiet and serenity was all Regina could feel inside her soul. The insatiable thirst for vengeance and rage had vanished with the company of the woman sleeping beside her. Even when Emma's breathing woke her from the middle of her sleep, as having someone in her bed wasn't something ordinary.

Regina had never shared her bed with anyone before, not even with the only pet she possessed before Emma. The huntsman always had to leave a few minutes after playing with his Mistress, because that was the way the Evil Queen wanted it. Getting close to someone wasn't going to lead her astray from her goal to cast a curse upon the Enchanted Forest denizens.

Regina got up from bed and covered her body with a cream camisole she kept from her youth. It was an innocent looking piece that she hadn't worn in years but, somehow, she felt like it fit her mood this time. She walked to the balcony and her gaze got lost in the night sky, looking at the beautiful stars shimmering brightly above the Dark Palace. She had never bothered to pay attention before to them until this night that showed her a glimpse of heaven in her own bed.

A small light started moving in the sky and it came flying toward the brunette looking with curios eyes. The little sparkle turned into a girl beside her, and Regina was surprised to see a good fairy come meet her.

 _"Hello, Regina!"_  The Green Fairy cheerfully greeted.  _"Excuse me, do I know you?"_  The brunette asked with confusion.  _"I'm Tinker Bell!_  Your fairy godmother." The fairy bowed and smiled brightly.  _"I never thought someone like me could have one."_  Regina responded with surprise.  _"Well, you do!"_  Tinker Bell assured her with joy.

 _"Where have you been all these years?"_  Regina reprimanded.  _"Fighting to see you! I was forbidden to visit you because of the Dark One."_  The blonde answered with worry.  _"And what changed now?"_  Regina asked.  _"You did, Regina! Haven't you noticed?"_  The fairy exclaimed.  _"Me?"_  Regina was puzzled.  _"True Love, Regina! You're glowing with it."_  Tinker Bell told her.

Regina tried to hide her blush from the fae; she looked in direction of her bed to see Emma sleeping soundly and smiled warmly with the vision.

 _"But you really need to get away from your mentor."_ The fairy's tone was secretive.  _"Why? What's going to happen, Tinker Bell?"_  Regina asked with curiosity.  _"_ _He will destroy your happy ending."_ The blonde said with worry. 

 _"My happy ending is Snow and Charming's heads on a plate."_  Regina muttered.  _"No, Regina! You can't continue looking for revenge."_  Tinker Bell said with disappointment. _"Emma IS your happy ending. If you hurt her family, the only one you will destroy is yourself. Please think about it."_  The fairy said before flying back to her realm.

Tinker Bell's words left Regina pensive. She felt in her gut that the green fairy was right but she really wanted to make Snow and Charming pay for trapping her in the spell that turned her to stone for nearly three decades. She was conflicted about her True Love being her worst enemies' daughter. What a wicked fate she had, the brunette thought.

* * *

The Green Fairy arrived in her realm and was greeted by the Blue Fairy, who wasn't happy about her apprentice's disobedience.

 _"Green! You know you are forbidden from seeing Regina."_  Blue reprimanded.  _"It's Tinker Bell. And I had to warn her!"_  The blonde girl replied.  _"You're lucky to come back alive, given who Regina's mentor is."_  Blue scolded her.  _"But she's not the Dark One. She's changed with True Love!"_  Tinker Bell protested.

 _"About that… What were you thinking, Green?"_  Blue asked with mixed anger and worry.  _"I don't know what you mean?"_ The Green Fairy looked away.  _"I know it was you who sprinkled pixie dust over Snow's newborn that day."_  Blue refreshed her memory. _"I... I thought it had been a boy."_  The blonde tried to justify.  _"That still doesn't make it right, Green."_  Blue sighed with disappointment.

 _"Everyone deserves a second chance!"_ Tinker Bell protested.  _"And making the Savior the Evil Queen's true love seemed logic to you, Tinker Bell?"_ Blue snapped.  _"Of course! Because True Love can break any curse."_  Tinker Bell snapped.  _"I hope you chose right, Tink."_  The Blue Fairy said before flying away.

* * *

In the Dark Palace Regina couldn't fall asleep again, as she kept hearing Tinker Bell's words echo inside her head. She knew Rumplestiltskin couldn't be trusted and she remembered how he went mad about the Blue Fairy meddling with his business. It was as if the curse was something he desperately needed to be enacted. But Regina couldn't think about any reasons why the Dark One would want to be cursed together with the rest of the residents of their fairytale world and come to a land without magic. It made no sense. He was the most powerful warlock in the realm and there was no logic in giving up what he treasured most: magic.

There was more that kept Regina awake and feeling conflicted about her new situation. She wanted with all her being to make her enemies suffer eternally, but her love for Emma made it impossible to cast the curse, or cause her parents any damage. The brunette then remembered a solution that could put an end to her constant inner battle.

She went into her vault once more and looked for the ingredients needed to create her ancient potion of forgetting. She would forget about the curse and her hunger for revenge but she wouldn't forget about Emma and her love for her. She hesitated before drinking from the effervescent glass but finally gathered the courage to let her grudge drift into oblivion.

Regina felt a heavy weight lift from her shoulders. She was renewed and the only time she had ever felt this light had been when Emma carried her in her arms to their love nest. She quickly remembered she left the blonde alone in her bedchambers and teleported in a purple mist to her bed, where the princess was still sound asleep. The brunette nestled her head on the blonde's chest and quickly fell asleep in the warmth of her lover's embrace.

Rays of sunshine filtered through the balcony and Emma's eyes slowly opened to see Regina's sleepy face over her nude chest. She smiled warmly and gently brushed away some of the hair covering the brunette's beautiful face and she had no doubt now this was her happy ending and she would do whatever it took to convince her lover about her true feelings and intention.

 _"Good morning."_  Emma whispered to Regina who was opening her eyes to see her.  _"How long have you been staring?"_  Regina asked blushing.  _"Not long enough."_  Emma answered warmly.  _"I look awful in the morning."_  The brunette muttered as she rolled off Emma. _"I beg to differ."_  The blonde told her.

Emma was upset by Regina's avoidance, so she quickly rolled over the brunette and pinned her once again under her grip. She really was a dominant lover and Regina sure loved it. Emma's mouth soon found Regina's, kissing deeply the crimson lips she knew she would never grow tired of savoring. Regina could feel her pulse speeding as gold curls brushed over her skin while Emma made her way down her neck; kissing and tasting her lover's exposed skin.

Regina felt like an idiot for blushing like a teenager with every inch Emma continued to advance on her way down her torso. The blonde had shown just how "amateur" her touch was the previous night when she made the brunette lose control over her own body and succumb into the bliss of their love making. But seeing Emma travel down her body with her mouth was different from last night and Regina felt embarrassed, like a virgin having her first experience.

After indulging in her lover’s body, Emma was now resting on Regina's chest and they both shimmered with the afterglow of their True Love. She was gazing deep into caramel eyes when she finally opened her mouth to speak the words she had never imagined herself saying.

 _"Marry me."_ Emma said in a soft whisper.   
 _"What?"_  Regina nearly jumped. She thought she heard wrong.   
 _"Would you do me the honor of sharing a lifetime as my wife?"_  Emma rephrased.

Regina was overwhelmed, she really wanted to say yes but she feared it was too good to be true and that someone might come through the door to rip out her True Love's heart. She took a little too long to respond and Emma's eyes filled with tears.

 _"Do you still doubt me?"_  Emma asked while trying to keep her tears from falling.  _"NO! It isn't that, Emma."_ Regina answered with worry.  _"Then tell me what it is because you sure are a puzzle."_ The blonde told her.  _"I don't want anything bad happening to you."_  Regina revealed her fear.

 _"What? Nothing is going to happen to me, Regina."_  Her lover answered.  _"I…"_ Regina was thinking what to say but Emma interrupted her.  _"I will only ask one more time. I can take a no for an answer."_ The blonde said with a serious tone the brunette hadn't heard from her before.

 _"Will you marry me, Regina?"_ Emma asked with a trembling voice.   
 _"For this lifetime and the rest, yes."_ Regina responded through tears of joy.

They kissed like there would be no tomorrow and entangled their bodies to be as close as they could possibly be. Nothing could come in between them; their love was more powerful than the evil lurking around them.

In his fortress, Rumplestiltskin was looking desperately in his treasure chest. He kept throwing things out of the way while cursing at Regina and Emma for being fool enough to believe in a happy ending. No one better than him could know what destiny had prepared for them, as he was the upper hand of fate when it came to the peculiar couple.

The vicious imp finally found what he had been looking for. He had made a deal with Maleficent several years ago to get possession of a smaller version of "The Looking Glass" mirror. On exchange, he provided the shape-shifting witch with the sleeping curse he knew his little apprentice would seek later. A curse that would send Leopold's only heir to the throne into an eternal sleep, tearing her father's heart and kingdom apart causing worse pain than the one inflicted on Daniel.

At that time, Charming had been captured by Regina; who was deciding whether to kill the annoying shepherd or casting a spell on him to turn him into a sheep. The idea was amusing, as she already believed him one, only without wool over his body, but she took a little too long to decide and the crafty excuse of a prince managed to escape her dungeon and wake up his True Love with the help of the Blue Fairy.

A clever wench the Blue Fairy was, Rumplestiltskin kept thinking. He was giving her more credit than what was true on her behalf, as it had been Tinker Bell who decided Snow White's and Prince Charming's child should be the Evil Queen's True Love, to break Cora's curse and free her from the enchantment her own mentor provided to the royal family. Only a girl as rebellious as the Green Fairy could've been the perfect match for Regina as godmother.

* * *

(Flashback)

The night Daniel was murdered, princess Regina stole an ancient book from her mother while she was sleeping. She knew she had gotten it from a dark sorcerer who provided her with spells and artifacts that helped her with black magic and secretly summoned Rumplestiltskin in the stables, where her deceasednTrue Love was still laying on a straw bed.

 _"There is no coming back from death, dearie."_  The imp told her.  _"Is there anything you can do at all?"_  Regina pleaded.  _"I can keep him from rotting."_  Rumplestiltskin answered. " _Please do it… until I can find a way to revive him."_  The maiden begged him.

The scaled skinned imp waved his hands over the cold body and covered it with an enchantment that protected it from deteriorating. He summoned a crystal coffin that would contain his spell over the body for as long as it lay there. Regina asked him to create a hideaway for her and on exchange for his favors the Dark One said her first born would belong to him. She agreed, as she was sure she wouldn't love again and definitely never would she bear a child to pay the debt. After that meeting it wasn't long before the now heartless princess asked for the Dark One to become her mentor in the arts of black magic.

Blue saw Green stealing pixie dust from their sacred vault but she didn't stop her and instead followed after the thieving fairy; curious about the reason behind her apprentice's behavior. After a few minutes of stalking the young fairy, Blue caught sight of a twelve weeks pregnant princess gazing into the falling night sky.

Snow White was wishing upon the stars for peace on her realm and for Regina to find True Love again, if it was possible at all, so she could find happiness and bury her old grudge. The Blue Fairy then noticed Green using some pixie dust over the pregnant lady without her knowing. Blue thought that maybe her apprentice wanted to alleviate the princess' sorrow with the soothing powers of the powder and grant her some level of peace she so strongly wished for. She decided to condone her apprentice and flew away, but Tinker Bell's intention hadn't been only to grant a moment of serenity to Snow White. Instead, with her special mix she was making the princess and her child ready for something bigger when the time came.

The night Tinker Bell poured her powder over Snow White was the same night Regina's troops dominated Leopold's, winning the war after five years of battle. It was also the night the Evil Queen tried to rip out the princess' heart after seeing the old man lying on his deathbed; ruining her plan to behead him in public.

Six months further, the Green Fairy mixed the remaining pixie dust with another powder she always carried in a tiny container that hung from her neck. Tinker Bell had kept it secret from her superior; as something like that would have certainly called for her wings as punishment. It was a small amount of the dirt she carefully cultured from the stable where Daniel's heart had been crushed to ashes.

Tinker Bell secretly visited after Regina was trapped under Blue's incantation; to sprinkle the final dose needed to finish her good deed. A green mist engulfed the newborn and awakened memories of a life short lived, as the stable boy's experiences swam inside the baby's subconscious. The Green Fairy had been sneaking every night after the first treatment to dust Snow's belly with her powder while she was sleeping. She was a skillful smuggler and nobody ever caught her.

Believing in reincarnation was something only a few did. The majority didn't believe in the existence of a soul; it was much easier to believe in something you could see and touch, such as magic. But Tinker Bell believed in both and that was her reason to steal the magic powders that could speed up the process for Regina's sake. The Dark Empress couldn't wait another lifetime to be reunited with her True Love, especially not after the imprisonment that made the time frame of their reunion offset, if not lost completely. You only had one True Love in the Enchanted Forest and Tinker Bell would protect Regina's, even if the price to pay turned out too steep for the fae.

* * *

(Present time)

Rumplestiltskin was contemplating the image reflected in the mirror he held in his hand. He was remembering what the seer had told him about a blue blood boy being his undoing.

 _"How will my queer apprentice bear a child now?"_  Rumplestiltskin murmured.  _"It's time to pay an old friend a visit!"_  He answered himself.

The Dark One activated the enchanted mirror and put it on the stone floor as a magical twister rapidly spun in the center; opening a portal into a world he had tried not to set foot in decades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am slowly revising this because I had it formatted with spanish in my head.


End file.
